Guidelines for Submitting External Grant Applications
Smith College, Sponsored Research Office
http://www.smith.edu/deanoffaculty/sro.html
The primary goal of the Sponsored Research Office (located within the Provost’s Office) is to assist
faculty members and staff in the process of applying for outside funding and in the administration of
grants and awards. We work closely with other offices on campus to reach this goal, including the Office
of Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Finance Office. We have developed the following
guidelines to help you navigate the internal college process of submitting an external grant application.
To better serve you, we ask that you contact us early in the planning stage of your grant proposal. This
will provide us with the necessary lead time we may need to assist you. Please be aware that we now
require a copy of your draft* grant proposal and accompanying grant proposal processing form at least ten
(10) business days prior to your proposal submission deadline.
*Your draft proposal must include your working narrative or a project summary, budget, and budget justification. A
final copy of all materials should be forwarded to the Sponsored Research Office as soon as it is available.
Step One: Starting the Process
Obtain a copy of the college’s “Grant Proposal Processing Form.” The form is available online
http://www.smith.edu/deanoffaculty/sro.html or by contacting the Sponsored Research Office
(sro@smith.edu ). The Grant Proposal Processing Form should be completed each time you apply for any
type of external grant, fellowship, or other award that would be administered by Smith College. This
includes new proposals, renewals, supplements, and subawards.
A Note about Subawards: Smith College treats subawards to Principal Investigators (PI) as they do other
grants, and thus a subaward to a PI is set up as a grant fund. We therefore ask that you follow the steps
outlined in this document when preparing a subaward proposal. The lead institution you are working with
may have very specific requirements for you and/or Smith College during both pre- and post-award
stages. Please be in touch with the Sponsored Research Office for any special assistance you may need
with subawards.
If your grant proposal includes a subaward to another institution, we require a letter of intent to enter into
a subaward agreement from an authorized official at the subawardee’s institution, a statement of work,
and a budget and budget justification.
Step Two: Putting Your Proposal Together
A. Contact the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations to
 identify possible funding sources
 discuss proposal ideas
 assist with grant proposal writing and editing
 assist with cover letters and letters of endorsement that indicate the college’s support of
the proposed grant activities
If you are either uncertain about likely funding sources or you would like to approach private
foundations with whom the college has existing relationships, you should begin by contacting the
Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations. They will provide advice on opportunities and ensure
that your project will avoid conflicts with other institutional and faculty proposals.
B. Contact the Associate Provost and Dean for Academic Development in the Provost’s Office if your
grant activities will involve or require any of the following:
 release time from teaching responsibilities
 sabbatical leave or leave without pay
 salary supplementation
 cost-sharing or matching funds
 special in-kind support from the college (contributions or assistance in a form other than
money)
 equipment purchases and maintenance
 letters of commitment indicating the college’s agreement to provide space, staff time,
matching funds, or other commitments
C. Contact the Sponsored Research Administrator in the Provost’s Office/Sponsored Research Office
(sro@smith.edu) to:
 provide assistance with proposal procedures
 assist with budget preparation
 maintain online granting agency user accounts for Smith affiliated individuals
 serve as point of contact for online or other submissions that require oversight by college
administration
 assist with basic data that may be required for your proposal
D. Your proposed grant activities may require review and approval by the college’s Institutional Review
Boards for human subjects, Biosafety Committee, Animal Care Committee, and/or Radiation Safety
Committee. Please see the Sponsored Research Office website for additional information about these
committees http://www.smith.edu/deanoffaculty/sro.html.
Step Three: When Your Proposal Is Ready to Submit
A grant represents a contract between the college and the funding organization. Therefore, you must
complete the Grant Proposal Processing Form in its entirety, and it must be signed by all relevant parties
prior to submission of the proposal. Please complete, sign, and submit the form with a copy of your
draft* proposal to the Sponsored Research Administrator. The materials should be submitted at least ten
(10) business days prior to the submission deadline.
The applicant/Principal Investigator is responsible for obtaining the signature of any co-investigator
(affiliated with Smith College) and the signature of one’s direct supervisor (department chair, program
director, dean of the School for Social Work, or other as applicable). The Sponsored Research
Administrator will obtain the final required signatures.
If submitting an application in paper (hardcopy) format, the applicant/Principal Investigator is responsible
for mailing it to the funding organization in time for the submission deadline.
*Your draft proposal must include the narrative, budget, and budget justification. A final copy of all materials
should be forwarded to the Sponsored Research Office as soon as it is available.
Step Four: Administrative Review of Your Proposal
Your proposal will be reviewed by the Sponsored Research Office and the Finance Office. Proposals
from faculty members in the Science Center will also be reviewed by a Center administrator. Smith
College employees are required to adhere to the college's Code of Conduct, which expressly prohibits
using or sharing confidential information.
Revised 2012
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Please be in touch with the Sponsored Research Administrator to coordinate online submissions that
require a college administrator to submit on your behalf.
Step Five: Outcome of Your Proposal
When you receive notification about your proposal from the sponsoring agency, please alert the Grants
and Contracts Specialist in the Finance Office (grants@smith.edu).
For awards, please read your award letter closely as it will refer to rules and regulations and reporting
requirements.
Revised 2012
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